The purpose of any networking cable is to carry signals from one electronic device to another. The term signals can mean data signals, power, or telephone communications. Electronic devices include but are not limited to terminals, personal computers, printers, workstations, hubs, switches, storage devices, tape drives, routers, telephone switches, and servers. Networking cables, frequently referred to, as “jumper cables”, “patch cables”, or simply “cables”, typically are multiple pair copper wires packaged in an outer flexible sheath. Networking cables are designed to interconnect an electronic device with another electronic device. Such networking cables often are used in systems where there are many networking cables connected to frames, panels, or electronic devices, each of which may have many connecting cables and which may be located closely adjacent other similar frames, panels, or electronic devices, sometimes without carefully regimented management of the cables. The connections of each cable may be remote from one another, even being in separate rooms or spaces, and the networking cables may be of substantial length.
A keystone jack is a female connector used in data, signal, or telephone communications, particularly local area networks (LANs). The jack is usually mounted in a wall plate or patch panel. A keystone plug is the matching male connector, usually attached to the end of a cable or cord.
A principal advantage of keystone connectors is their versatility. Several types of keystone jacks can be mounted on a single patch panel. They are available in unshielded and shielded forms, and can accommodate cords and cables having various numbers of conductors.
The term keystone derives from the characteristic shape of the jack, resembling the standard RJ-11 wall jack used to connect telephone sets, fax machines, and dial-up computer modems to conventional telephone lines.
A patch panel is a mounted hardware unit containing an assembly of port locations in a communications or other electronic or electrical system. In a network, a patch panel serves as a sort of static switchboard, using cables to interconnect computers within the area of a local area network (LAN) and to the outside for connection to the Internet or other wide area network (WAN). A patch panel uses a sort of jumper cable called a patch cord to create each interconnection.
Today's keystone or wall jacks and patch panels often have a number of issues. For many there is no indication whether the jack is actually active and whether it has power. In addition the jack does not indicate the IP address or MAC address it is attached to. There is no indication of what type of equipment can be interfaced to the jack, no indication of the location of the far end of the cable and no indication of the security lock-out status of the connection.
The keystone jack to be described addresses these needs.